Capt. Porter kept this log while serving as mate aboard the 2033-ton John A. Briggs (Ship), built at Freeport (ME) in 1878 by Briggs & Cushing for their own managing ownership. She was the largest vessel built at Freeport. Porter served as mate until the first captain, Rufus S. Randall (1830-1888), moved on, and Porter then remained as master of the ship until 1886. The ship was lost in 1909 while under tow near Barnegat (NJ). This is a log-book kept in standard format in a printed form....
Topic: maritime history
Capt. Rufus S. Randall was born in Freeport (ME), son of Capt. Robert J. and Lydia Mitchell Randall. He went to sea from about the age of 10, rose to command many vessels, and married Annie S. Townsend at Portland (ME) in 1872. She sometimes sailed with him; they had five children. Capt. Randall died in Freeport. The 1106-ton Oasis (Bark) was built at Freeport (ME) in 1871 by John A. Briggs; she was abandoned in the North Atlantic Ocean in 1887. This diary, kept in a printed form, starts in New...
Topic: maritime history
Capt. Cornelius Gray kept this log of fishing voyages in the fishing schooner Lady Adams , 24 tons, of Castine (ME) and later of Brooksville (ME). She is not listed in List of Merchant Vessels of the United States after 1881. This log-book was kept on a daily basis in a printed form with minimal weather and course information, nearly nothing on ship-handling, and some mention of fishing and fishing grounds. Of primary importance to the author seems to have been the daily records of how many...
Topic: maritime history
Judging by the contents, this volume was written by the captain of the 458-ton M. V. B. Chase (Three-mast schooner), built in 1882 at Bath by William Rogers. This vessel had along career in the coastal trade under a succession of owners before foundering off Sandy Hook (NY) m 1915. This is a partial log-book, kept in a Bureau of Navigation printed form, which documents the business of the M. V. B. Chase (Three-mast schooner) for 1907-1908 only while in harbor, discharging bad potatoes at Havana...
Topic: Maritime history
An author is probably Henry L. Woodside of Brunswick (ME), who commanded other vessels but was mate at this time. A later part of this volume was kept in a different hand. The 422-ton Endeavor (Bark) was built at Bath (ME) by George Hawley in 1869. She was owned by Augustus Palmer and others at Bath (ME) until 1887, when she was wrecked, condemned, and sold foreign. At the time of this log, her commander was Capt. James E Mountfort of Knightville, South Portland (ME). This log-book, kept in a...
Topic: maritime history
Libbeus S. Davis, probably of Gardiner (ME), was a steam engineer. He married Frances Collins in Farmingdale (ME) in 1859. In 1903 he lived in Gardiner (ME). He served as engineer aboard the 1413-ton Star of the East (Sidewheel steamer, passenger), built at New York by John Englis & Son in 1866. She was used on the Kennebec River to Boston run from 1866 until sold to New York in 1903. She was renamed Sagadahoc (1891) and Greenport (1903). She was barged in 1916 and became a war casualty...
Topic: maritime history
Capt. Eben (or Ebed) L. Murphy (1852-1899) commanded Northampton (Ship) until August 1882, when he joined the ship Harry Morse . In November 1882 Capt. Anthony B. Gahan (1840-1906) of Phippsburg (ME) took command of Northampton , and Abraham Cummings Percy ( 1829-1887), formerly captain of Commodore Dupont (Bark) and Crescent City (Ship), joined him as mate. Percy, of Bath (ME), kept this log from 13 November 1882 until the vessel was lost on a reef in the Bahamas in May 1883. Northampton , 983...
Topic: Maritime History
Capt. Calvin S. Elwell was from Saturday Cove, Northport (ME), and later died there. He was married in Australia in 1905. At time of log he was mate of vessel. The 2,293-ton Kenilworth (Four-mast bark) was built at Glasgow (SCT) by John Reid & Co. in 1887. In 1890 she was purchased by Arthur Sewall & Co. of Bath (ME) and by an Act of Congress registered as an American vessel. Later renamed Star of Scotland and Rex , she was sunk by enemy action in 1942. At time of log, her master was...
Topic: maritime history
Account, seaman’s time and log books of Captain Rufus F. Wells family. This includes seven account books, one seaman’s time book, three log books and one personal account book. Vessel records of the Altavela (Schooner), L. B. Cowperthwaite (Schooner), Princeton (Brig), Lettie Wells (Schooner), Fair Wind (Schooner), Forest City (Schooner), L. B. Sargent (Schooner), Dexter Clark (Schooner), Eagle (Schooner) and Samos (Schooner) among others. The collection is arranged as follows: Series I....
Topic: Maritime History
Herbert H. Hatfield was mate of this vessel, may later have been captain. The 3,069-ton Owego (Screw steamer, freight) was built at Buffalo (NY) in 1888 by Union Dry Dock Company. She was sold to Minhow (CHN), formerly Foochow, about 1924. Owego 's master at the time of this log was not noted. This log, kept in a printed log-book form, records a voyage in Owego (Screw steamer, freight) from New York to Rotterdam (NET) with unspecified cargo, and return to New York in ballast. On the voyage to...
Topic: maritime history
Charles G. Jameson, of Bath (ME), was mate on this vessel, and probably kept the log at this time. The 1,316-ton Hermon (Ship) was built at Bath (ME) in 1868 by master builder Elisha P. Mallet for E. & A. Sewall, and was sold German in 1880 and renamed Hugo . Her master at the time of this log was Capt. James T. Morse (1822-1912) of Phippsburg (ME). This log, kept in a printed log-book form, records voyages in Hermon (Ship) from Callao (PER) to Gibraltar (GBR) for orders and to Valencia...
Topic: maritime history
This collection contains accounts, bills, deeds, and correspondence of David Curtis (1805-1872). Curtis was a mid-nineteenth century Bath shipbuilder who worked for John Henry, Arnold & Co., and Curtis & Cox. The collection is particularly detailed regarding the construction and operation of the Lisbon (ship), launched in 1852, a ship timber-buying trip that Curtis took to Saco in 1839, and deeds for the purchase of shipyard and other land in the south end of Bath in the 1850s. There...
Topic: Maritime History
Handwriting indicates several unidentified authors, probably mates of vessel. The 157-ton Venloo (Schooner) was built in 1853 by J. L. Buck at Bucksport (ME), and was dropped from listing in register ca. 1868. Her commanders during period covered by log were Capt. S.T. Knowlton and Capt. Freeman Closson (1830-1892) of Searsport (ME). This log, kept in a ruled log-book form, records about 13 voyages or parts of voyages in Venloo (Schooner), calling at Delaware City (DE), Boston (MA),...
Topic: maritime history
William E. Dennison of Bath (ME) and later Portland (ME) commanded the 145-ton Adrianna (Schooner), built at Portland (ME) in 1853. The schooner was dropped from registry before 1866. Capt. Dennison helped put down a naval mutiny at the outbreak of the Civil War, served as an officer (including commanding officer) in the U. S. Navy during the Civil War, and later commanded passenger steamers into the 1890s. This log-book, kept in a printed form, records a voyage in Adrianna (Schooner) from...
Topic: maritime history
This log-book was kept by several unidentified officers of the United States Customs Service. The otherwise-unidentified Boat #4277 was used in coastal patrols. The volume was found in the Bath (ME) Customs Office when it was closed, ca. 1973. This log, kept in a Custom-House Statistical Blotter, documents the travels and repairs of United States Customs Boat #4277 as she patrolled the central Maine coast. The boat was based at Boothbay Harbor (ME) at this time, and visited Five Islands (ME),...
Topic: maritime history
Mary E. Hawes used this volume as a scrapbook in 1861, and may also have made diary entries. Mary G. Chapin of Searsport (ME) may also have used it as a scrapbook. The 199-ton Gen. Marshall (Half-brig) was built at Belfast (ME) in 1849 and is not found in register after 1869. The author of the log-book is not known; all clues are obscured by pasted-in clippings. This log, kept in a ruled, printed log-book form, records voyages in Gen. Marshall (Half-brig) from Jul. 22, 1853 to an unknown date,...
Topic: maritime history
Capt. William H. Luce, son of Capt. Andrew G. and Rebecca (Spear) Luce, was born in Rockland (ME). He served in the U.S. Navy, commanded merchant vessels by the age of 22, married Eliza U. Carlton of Camden (ME) in 1865. He became Collector of Customs at Rockland (ME) ca. 1891. The 290-ton Ocean Eagle (Bark?) was built at Rockland in 1856 and was not in register listing by 1876. The log calls her a bark, although other sources identify her as a brig, half-brig, or barkentine. Author commanded...
Topic: maritime history
Cyrus Harraman, of Stockton (ME), may have been a mate aboard this vessel. Other authors, indicated by handwriting and language (last one is Germanic), are not identified. The 199-ton Evelyn (Bark), built at Stockton (ME) in 1851, was dropped from register listing between 1861 and 1866. Evelyn 's master at time of log was Capt. F. Hichborn, probably a relative of the managing owner, Josiah F. Hichborn of Stockton (ME). Kept in a ruled form, this log-book documents in standard format about 14...
Topic: maritime history
Capt. E.L. Dorr's name is noted on cover, may be author. The 92-ton Lizzie Lee (Schooner, fishing) was built at Trenton (ME) in 1868, and was home-ported at Lamoine (ME) at time of log. She was later sold to Machias (ME), and to New Bedford (MA). Vessel and crew lost en route to Fogo (CVI), 1914. This log, kept in a ruled book, records a voyage in Lizzie Lee (Schooner, fishing) from Lamoine (ME) to the Grand Banks, and return. Many references to vessel handling, vessels seen, people, fishing,...
Topic: maritime history
This log was kept by mates aboard Scotia (Ship), primarily by Oscar L. Carr, and later by G. P. Allen. Scotia's captain at the time was Cyrus W. Oliver (1840-1904), born in Georgetown (ME). A son, W. T. Oliver, also became a captain. Scotia , 1098 tons, was built by Houghton Bros. in Bath (ME), 1865. She was sold to B.W. & H.F. Morse for use in the coal or ice trade, and foundered while under tow near Long Beach (NJ), 1893. This log records about eight voyages of Scotia (Ship), most between...
Topic: Maritime History
This collection documents Captain Charles J. Carter’s seafaring career. The majority of the collection is made up of personal papers: letters between Charles Carter (1845-1916) and his wife Clarissa E. (Reed) Carter (1857-1951) and journals kept by Captain Carter. It also includes a logbook and several accounts related to the vessels Hecla (ship), J.W. Marr (ship), and May V. Neville (schooner).
Topic: maritime history
This collection contains scattered correspondence, accounts, and vessel records from Goss & Sawyer and Goss, Sawyer & Packard, two related shipbuilding firms in Bath, Maine. Though fragmentary, documents span the firm’s business, from timber purchases and shipbuilding contracts through operations of vessels managed, in part, by the firms. The collection includes specifications and other information on some of Goss & Sawyer’s auxiliary steam-powered vessels. Some personal...
Topic: Maritime History
Vessel papers of Capt. Fessenden Chase includes correspondence, invoices, account summaries, bills of sales, insurance papers, portage account, an articles of agreement and account of crewmen wages of ships General Butler , Pleiades and Success which he commanded. Other vessel papers in the collection are Edwin Reed (Bark), S. P. Hitchcock (Three-mast schooner) and Normandy (Three-mast schooner) in which Capt. Fessenden Chase had a vested interest. Personal papers consist of two letters and a...
Topic: Maritime History
The collection consists of two manuscript documents pertaining to the Inez N. Carver (Four-mast schooner) commanded by Fred L. Hodgkins and two account books belonging to Gilman B. Hodgkins who was involved in the Grand Banks fishing business, together his father, Nathan Hodgkins, and two brothers, Francis D. and David Dyer.
Topic: Maritime History
Papers relating to the Mary Lord (Three-mast schooner) including correspondence, invoices, receipts, charter parties, bills of lading, manifests, and an article of agreement. Included a various miscellaneous documents including one account summary for the yacht Monaloa .
Topic: Maritime History
A memoir of life in the spar-making trade, written in the blank pages of two financial record books of the Pigeon spar business.
Topic: Maritime History
Four notebooks kept by Charles Cushing, who commanded fishing vessels from Bucksport, Maine. The volumes contain journals from three separate seasons in the Grand Banks cod fishery, as well as records of fish caught, vessel accounts, letter drafts, and other miscellaneous material about Cushing’s maritime career. Cushing’s voyages on the Bucksport schooner Hannah Coomer , owned by T.M. Nicholson, are particularly well documented.
Topic: Maritime History
A collection of correspondence and invoices and five bound volumes consisting of patient and outpatient records, a record of medical inspections of seamen and records of public property for the U. S. Marine Hospital at Bath. The collection is arranged as follows: Series I. Registers for U. S. Marine Hospital, Series II. Record of Medical Inspections of Seamen, Series III. Letter and Invoice book and Series IV. Record of Public Property.
Topic: Maritime History
Papers relating to the J. A. Thomson (Ship). Included are correspondence, account summaries, general accounts, charter parties, freight and cargo accounts, portage bill, crew accounts, and list of stores on board. Other items in the collections are a northern hemisphere horn card from Piddington’s Law of Storms and various published papers.
Topic: Maritime History
Various accounts for screw steamers Islander and Magnet and sidewheel steamers Kennebec and Star of the East owned and operated by the Kennebec Steamboat Company. Accounts include passenger books, bills paid, repairs and a time book. The collection is grouped into four series: Series I: Star of the East (Sidewheel steamer); Series II: Magnet (Screw steamer); Series III: Islander (Screw steamer) and Series IV: Kennebec (Sidewheel steamer).
Topic: Maritime History
Custom House records from the ports of Bath, Boothbay, Wiscasset and Portland. Arranged by port and thereunder by type of record and includes administrative and fiscal records, reports of imported merchandise, dock books, weight and measurement booklets, patrol reports, admeasurements, entrance and clearance records, and entry of merchandise reports, bunker fuel reports, and motor boat registration. Numerous government publications are also included in this collection. Records are organized...
Topic: Maritime History
Business and vessel records of Charles V. Minott shipyard in Phippsburg, Maine. The records consist of business accounts, bills, receipts, documents, and correspondence relative to the shipbuilding and management activities of the Minott shipyard. Bulk of collection are vessel papers including, but not limited to, ownership and registration papers, construction accounts, captains’ letters, freight lists, bills of lading, crew wages, articles of agreement, portage accounts, protest and legal...
Topic: Maritime History
This collection contains a single log-book for the fishing schooner Little Fannie of Westport, Maine. It records several voyages, all likely in the cod fishery, between April and November, 1865. Daily catch totals, weather, and the schooner’s general position are routinely recorded.
Topic: Maritime History
This collection contains an account book for James Farrin’s shoe and slop shop in Bath, Maine, kept between 1827 and 1838. Farrin (1802-1856) sold ready-made shoes and clothing to a wide range of customers in Bath and nearby towns. He also outfitted sailors with clothing (“slops”) and other basic items like sea chests, knives, and oilskin jackets. Individual customers’ accounts often include notes on their occupations, employers, or race.
Topic: Maritime History
The papers of Captain James E. Creighton include correspondence with vessel owners, managers, captains, builders, contractors, repairers, suppliers, importers, dealers, manufacturers and inspectors. There are vessel documents of ownership, contracts, protests, store bills, receipts and dividend statements among others. Financial records include account summaries, account books, cash book, ledger and journal. The papers document two five-mast schooners for which Creighton supervised the...
Topic: Maritime History
Winthrop Farrin was probably a resident of Bath (ME). He was mate of the 275-ton Harriet (Ship), built at Bath (ME) in 1819 by McLellan & Turner. This little 95-foot ship was later (ca. 1828) used to take African-American emigrants to Liberia. At the time of this log, her master was Capt. Joseph O. Reed (ca. 1787-1829) of Topsham (ME). This log-book, kept in a sailor-made blank volume sewn with marline and covered with sailcloth, covers voyages in Harriet (Ship) from Savannah (GA), to...
Topic: maritime history
Captain Rufus S. Randall (1830-1888) was born in Freeport (ME), son of Capt. Robert J. and Lydia Mitchell Randall. He went to sea from the age of about 10, rose to command many vessels, and married Annie S. Townsend at Portland (ME) in 1872. She sometimes sailed with him; they had five children. Capt. Randall died in Freeport. The 529-ton Ella & Annie (Bark) was built at East Deering (ME) by Capt. Russell Lewis in 1866 for Lewis Dyer and for Randall's command. She was lost by stranding on...
Topic: maritime history
Capt. Ansel W. Edwin Skolfield was the adopted son of Capt. James Edwin and Ella (Eastman) Skolfield. Fifteen at the time of this voyage, he later graduated from New York Nautical College and became master of steam freighters. Some entries are written by Ella when Ansel is sick. Ansel and wife Nellie H. had three sons and lived in Portland (ME). The 465-ton Georgie L. Drake (Three-mast schooner) was built in 1883 by William Rogers at Bath (ME). The Drake was abandoned in the North...
Topic: maritime history
Benjamin Peters was mate on the 522-ton Astracan (Ship), which was built at Portland (ME) in 1839 by Robert Knight, sold Norwegian before 1861, and dropped from register listing ca. 1869. The master at the time of this log was Capt. Jefferson Ford. Name is sometimes given as Astrachan . This log, kept in a blank book ruled off for a log-book, records voyages in Astracan (Ship): from Boston (MA) to Calcutta (IND) with ice; return to Boston with saltpeter, redwood (Andaman), sugar(?), linseed,...
Topic: maritime history
George W. Goodwin was born in Calais (ME) and died in Brighton (MA). He married Adah E. Grafton at Baltimore (MD) in 1881 and later said she was his best mate. He went 56 times around Cape Horn and commanded this vessel at time of diary. The 3,005-ton Dirigo (Four-mast bark) was built at Bath (ME) in 1894 by Arthur Sewall & Co. for their fleet. She was the first steel sailing vessel built in the U.S. The Sewall's sold her in 1915; she was sunk by a German submarine off the Irish coast in...
Topic: maritime history
Capt. Charles Henry Reed (1845-1919) was born in Woolwich (ME), son of Reuben (1813-1905) and Martha (Gilmore) Reed (1811-1896), and died in Richmond (ME). He married Mary Ellen Gilmore (1845-1892) in 1872. In 1894 he married May Lenore Hutchinson (1864-1937), with whom he had a daughter. He went to sea at 16 and rose to command at least four ships from the Kennebec River (ME). The 1,867-ton Servia (Ship) was built at Bath (ME) in 1883 by Houghton Bros., and stranded at Karluk (AK) in 1907....
Topic: maritime history
This small collection contains clearance certificates, bills of health, and other official documents from a single voyage of the Maine-built schooner Elizabeth Howard in the winter of 1919-1920. Most of the documents are from the schooner’s port calls in Egypt, Turkey, Greece, and Gibraltar. There is one provisioning bill from New York, but no explicit mention of cargo or crew.
Topic: Maritime History
Small group of documents, most listing some of the materials, rig, and outfit of vessels built and owned by the company and other related companies.
Topic: Maritime History
Vessel and personal papers of Captain Mark Thurlow aboard the J. A. Simpson (Schooner), the Susan (Brig) and Virginia (Bark). Vessel papers include an account book along with receipts. Personal papers include the Cutler School House account book, account summaries and receipts with his brother, Charles T. Thurlow.
Topic: Maritime History
Assorted ephemera, including dance cards, broadsides, leaflets, advertisements, programs, timetables, tickets, announcements. Collection is divided into three series: I, Places (primarily Bath, ME); II, Transportation (water, inc. steamboats, motor vessels, motor boats, sailing ships, sailboats, and warships; land; air); and III, Subjects.
Topic: Maritime History
Born in Arrowsic (ME), Joshua Farnham was the grandson of Captain Zebediah Farnham of Georgetown (ME). He died of "lung fever" in 1858 while master of Lawson (Ship). The 597-ton Lawson was built by Stephen Larrabee at Bath (ME) in 1855, for L.L. Watts of Hallowell (ME). The ship burned in Toulon (FRA), 1861. The diary covers a voyage in Lawson (Ship) from Cardiff (WAL) with coal to Galle (CEY), in ballast to Moulmein (BUR), with teak to Cork (IRE) or Falmouth (ENG) for orders....
Topic: maritime history
A. Frazier, mate, is the only one of at least four authors who is identified. Capt. Merrill E. Hodgdon (1846-?) of Boothbay (ME) was the first commander of the 359-ton Carrie A. Norton (Three-mast schooner) and was in command at the beginning and end of this volume. During the course of this log-book, however, Capt. Hodgdon became ill and was replaced briefly by Capt. Dennis M. Roberts (1837-1898) and a Capt. McIntire. The Norton , named for Capt. Hodgdon's wife, was built in Bath (ME) in 1882...
Topic: maritime history
Ezekiel H. Welch, born in Topsham (ME), was 26 when he began this diary aboard the 590-ton Sheffield (Ship), built at Bath (ME) in 1836 by G. F. & J. Patten for Capt. Noble Maxwell. The master at the time of the diary was Capt. John P. Smith (ca. 1816-1859), who may have been related by marriage to the author. Smith married Emily, daughter of Humphrey Welch of Bath (ME). Sheffield may have been sold at London (ENG) in 1864. This diary, kept in a blank book, documents voyages in...
Topic: maritime history
Captain John Drew's diary from aboard the ship Franklin . Captain Drew kept this diary from October 10, 1869 through March 27, 1870. This particular diary is severely water damaged, making many pages very difficult to read. Part of a series. Related digitized materials: Captain John Drew Diary, 1868-1869
Topic: Maritime History
Capt. Jacob D. Whitmore, born Phippsburg (ME), son of James C. and Jane (Drummond) Whitmore, died of fever at sea aboard Sea Serpent (Ship). A captain by age 26, he commanded several China trade vessels. The 342-ton Sarah Boyd (Bark) was built at Bath (ME) in 1846 by G.C. Trufant, and wrecked at Agrigento (ITA). Tingqua (Ship), 668 tons, was a clipper built at Portsmouth (NH) by George Raynes in 1852, and was under author's command when she went ashore at Cape Hatteras in 1855. Whitmore...
Topic: maritime history
